Pelorus Jack is a documentary by Antony Alpers about the famous dolphin who escorted ships near D'Urville Island between 1888 and 1912. It is narrated by Peter Gwynne.
The song "Good Pelorus Jack" is sung by a children's choir and is interspersed throughout the recollections. The song is said to have been popular in schools in the 1930s, when chocolate fish sweets were called 'Pelorus Jacks'.
George Webber, who lived on D'Urville Island in French Pass for many years, probably saw the dolphin more than anyone. He recalls in late 1887 or early 1888 he heard about the "big white fish" and then he first saw it while home from school. He says it would dive underneath a small steamer they used and sometimes tipped it and they would have to push the dolphin away with a paddle.
He knew the dolphin for the 24 years that it was seen, largely by ships on the Nelson run through French Pass. Anthony Alpers, who wrote a book about Pelorus Jack, interviews some elderly people who saw the dolphin: Mrs L.A. Jennings of Hawera who used to go by ship between Nelson and Picton as a schoolgirl around 1897, recalls seeing it diving underneath the bow of the ship and hitting it.
Despite his name, Pelorus Jack did not live in Pelorus Sound, but rather Admiralty Bay to the west, sheltered by D'Urville Island. George Webber says he was rarely known to go past the bay into the open sea.
Mrs F.C. Macfarlane of Gisborne recalls seeing him from the 'Wainui' both at day-time and on night crossings. Mr Alan Waters of New Plymouth, was a Nelson College student and remembers seeing him when on his way to a cadet camp one Easter, riding the bow wave of the ship.
Veteran sailor Captain R.J. Hay of Nelson, former master of the 'Nikau' remembers seeing Pelorus Jack and says on a calm night you could hear him blowing in the distance as he approached the ship.
Unlike 'Opo', he never interacted with humans in the water but was remarkable for having lived for 24 years. He was probably orphaned and was always seen alone, which is unusual for a dolphin.
Someone once took a shot at him, and rumours began that he was protected by law, although this didn't actually happen until 1904. Papers from a file of the Marine Department are read, showing Reverend Daniel Bates of the Colonial Museum was the man who first wrote calling for protection of the dolphin.
He was identified as a Risso's dolphin and Lord Plunket, the Governor, signed an order protecting the species (An excerpt of the order is read.)
This made news worldwide, although the location was confused by the media, saying he used to escort ships into Wellington Harbour.
Mr Webber recalls the postcards of the dolphin which were very popular around 1908. Charlie Moeller of New Plymouth, was lighthouse keeper at French Pass from 1908 and he recalls keeping an eye out for the dolphin. He tells a story about it being very noisy catching small cod near the light-house. He says the dolphin could hear ships coming from a long way away.
This is confirmed by Captain B.B. Irwin, former first officer on the 'Patina'. Anthony Alpers confirms that dolphins do have very good hearing and use echo-location. He plays an excerpt of a recording of porpoises 'whistling' sent to him by American researcher Dr W.N. Kellogg.
Bill Morrison who used to own the boarding house at French Pass says the dolphin was very friendly and intelligent. From about 1910 the dolphin became less regular in his appearances and there was concern that he had died when the remains of a porpoise were found by Mr Webber on D'Urville Island in March 1911. He was seen again however, and in October 1912 he appears in the notes of the Christchurch Weekly Press, as having been sighted by a Picton correspondent.
A few weeks after that however, he disappeared. Mr Webber thinks he last saw him in December 1912.